Processing packets in a computer system

Abstract

There is provided a method for determining a sequence number for transmitting a packet from a first apparatus to a second apparatus as part of a flow of packets, determining a flow identifier for identifying a security association for the flow, wherein the flow identifier is determined in dependence on the sequence number, and transmitting the packet includes transmitting the sequence number and the flow identifier to the second apparatus.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 determining a sequence number for transmitting a packet from a first apparatus to a second apparatus as part of a flow of packets; 
 determining a flow identifier for identifying a security association for the flow, wherein the flow identifier is determined in dependence on the sequence number; and 
 transmitting said packet comprising the sequence number and the flow identifier to the second apparatus; 
 
       wherein said determining a flow identifier comprises at least one of setting the n least significant bits of the flow identifier as a function of the n most significant bits of the sequence number, and determining the flow identifier in dependence on an original identifier of the security association that was determined when the security association was initialised. 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said determining a flow identifier comprises setting the n least significant bits of the flow identifier as a function of the n least significant bits of the sequence number. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 2 , comprising determining n, wherein n is a function of a number of independent processing entities in the second apparatus that are arranged to process the flow. 
     
     
       4. A method comprising:
 receiving a first packet as part of a flow of packets between a first apparatus and a second apparatus, wherein said first packet comprises a sequence number and a flow identifier for identifying a security association for the flow, wherein the flow identifier is a function of the sequence number; and 
 selecting a processing entity of the second apparatus for processing the first packet in dependence on the flow identifier; 
 
       wherein said flow identifier of the first packet is a function of an original identifier of the security association that was determined when the security association was initialised. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the n least significant bits of the sequence number or the n most significant bits of the sequence number are a function of the n least significant bits of the flow identifier. 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said selecting comprises selecting a processing entity out of m independent processing entities in the second apparatus that are arranged to process the flow. 
     
     
       7. The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the second apparatus comprises the selected processing entity, the method further comprising:
 receiving a second packet as part of the flow of packets, wherein said second packet comprises a sequence number and a flow identifier for identifying the security association, wherein the flow identifier of the second packet is a function of the sequence number of the second packet; 
 selecting the processing entity of the second apparatus for processing the second packet in dependence on the flow identifier; and 
 checking, by the selected processing entity, all bar the n least significant bits of the sequence number comprised within the first packet to all bar the n least significant bits of the sequence number comprised within the second packet. 
 
     
     
       8. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory comprising computer code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to:
 determine a sequence number for transmitting a packet from a first apparatus to a second apparatus as part of a flow of packets; 
 determine a flow identifier for identifying a security association for the flow, wherein the flow identifier is determined in dependence on the sequence number; and 
 transmit said packet comprising the sequence number and the flow identifier to the second apparatus; 
 
       configure to determine the flow identifier in dependence on an original identifier of the security association that was determined when the security association was initialised. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , configured to set the n least significant bits of the flow identifier as a function of the n least significant bits of the sequence number. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory comprising computer code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to:
 determine a sequence number for transmitting a packet from a first apparatus to a second apparatus as part of a flow of packets; 
 determine a flow identifier for identifying a security association for the flow, wherein the flow identifier is determined in dependence on the sequence number; and 
 transmit said packet comprising the sequence number and the flow identifier to the second appartus; 
 
       determine the flow identifier in dependence on an original identifier of the security association that was determined when the security association was initialised. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , configured to set the n least significant bits of the flow identifier as a function of the n most significant bits of the sequence number. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory comprising computer code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to:
 receive a first packet as part of a flow of packets between a first apparatus and a second apparatus, wherein said first packet comprises a sequence number and a flow identifier for identifying a security association for the flow, wherein the flow identifier is a function of the sequence number; and 
 select a processing entity of the second apparatus for processing the first packet in dependence on the flow identifier; 
 
       wherein said flow identifier of the first packet is a function of an original identifier of the security association that was determined when the security association was initialised. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the n least significant bits of the sequence number or the n most significant bits of the sequence number are a function of the n least significant bits of the flow identifier. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , configured to select a processing entity out of n independent processing entities in the second apparatus that are arranged to process the flow. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the second apparatus comprises the selected processing entity, the apparatus being configured to:
 receive a second packet as part of the flow of packets, wherein said first packet comprises a sequence number and a flow identifier for identifying the security association, wherein the flow identifier of the second packet is a function of the sequence number of the second packet; 
 select the processing entity of the second apparatus for processing the first packet in dependence on the flow identifier; and 
 check, by the selected processing entity, all bar the n least significant bits of the sequence number comprised within the first packet to all bar the n least significant bits of the sequence number comprised within the second packet. 
 
     
     
       16. A non-transitory computer readable media comprising program code for causing a processor to perform instructions for a method in a computerized network, the method performed comprising:
 determining a sequence number for transmitting a packet from a first apparatus to a second apparatus as part of a flow of packets; 
 determining a flow identifier for identifying a security association for the flow, wherein the flow identifier is determined in dependence on the sequence number; and 
 transmitting said packet comprising the sequence number and the flow identifier to the second apparatus; 
 
       wherein said determining a flow identifier comprises at least one of setting the n least significant bits of the flow identifier as a function of the n most significant bits of the sequence number, and determining the flow identifier in dependence on an original identifier of the security association that was determined when the security association was initialised. 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer readable media comprising program code for causing a processor to perform instructions for a method in a computerized network, the method performed comprising:
 receiving a first packet as part of a flow of packets between a first apparatus and a second apparatus, wherein said first packet comprises a sequence number and a flow identifier for identifying a security association for the flow, wherein the flow identifier is a function of the sequence number; and 
 selecting a processing entity of the second apparatus for processing the first packet in dependence on the flow identifier; 
 
       wherein said flow identifier of the first packet is a function of an original identifier of the security association that was determined when the security association was initialised.